Comments on: Cook’s Illustrated Non-Sticks It To ‘Preferred’ Subscribers

By: Larry C

Larry C — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:47:46 +0000

Yep, I got taken by them! I made the mistake of ordering the magazine subscription and ordering a single book. Now I’m receiving unsolicited cook books in the mail that they want to charge me for! And before you even think about it, I carefully read all of the fine print: no “and by clicking here you authorize us to send you books,” and no post cards informing me that I’d receive a book unless I “opted out.”

Stay away from these folks! There are a lot of reputable cook books and cooking magazines out there.

I’m ashamed of America’s Test Kitchen. I’m even more ashamed of the USPS for letting scams like this persist, and of PBS for supporting this organization.

By: peteformation

peteformation — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:24:32 +0000

Marketing gimmick! LOL!

By: sharry

sharry — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:16:16 +0000

They are taking advantage there..thats all the company’s goal isnt it

By: Grahamboat

Grahamboat — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:39:10 +0000

BEWARE
Before ordering anything from Cook’s Illustrated/American Test Kitchens or using their “free website, do a Google search using “cook’s illustrated/american test kitchen scam”. There you will find a host of complaints outlining their illegal scheme of sending out unsolicited cookbooks. You can send them back post-free if unopened and marked “return to sender”. Of course, you still have the hassle of taking them to the Post Office and they will still invoice you and send you letters threatening your credit rating. WHAT A SCAM!

By: HeyChef

HeyChef — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:27:11 +0000

“Cook’s Illustrated is a great company that I’ll support for years to come.”

How naïve.

By: Web templates

Web templates — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:43:35 +0000

Looks cool They are trying to catch people attention, that’s all

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:49:56 +0000

I stopped subscribing to most magazines via their website, and call them to ask that they remove me from renewal notices since they normally start warning me that subscription is “about to expire” three months into a yearly subscription (they will do it if you ask).

Also, surf the ‘net. There are dozens of companies offering substantially discounted rates for the same magazines. Just google the magazine name + subscription.

The exception to this is New Yorker – I can’t find it anywhere less than the CN site. Now if I could only get them all read…

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:21:51 +0000

That the magazine made such an offer is no surprise to me, since I have seen many others do the exact same thing and many other comments also confirm this. But I also wanted to compliment you on the excellent (and seasonally apropos!) reference to “A Christmas Story”, a movie I love. If I ever develop my own recipe for meatloaf, I have already decided to call it “Meatloaf, Beatloaf.”

By: Gene

Gene — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:14:35 +0000

My girlfriend just received a “good for the next 10 days” offer from Cooks Illustrated with a 44% savings off of the cover price and a free bonus gift of “All-Time Best Recipes” Special Collector’s Edition. Total cost, $19.95. I guess the recession has had an affect on magazine sales/subscriptions, too. Still, for a publication that is void of any advertising, even the usual subscription price is not a bad deal.

By: spoonzie

spoonzie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:04:34 +0000

I worked for many years at a major magazine and the idea behind this set up is that subscribers who have been subcribing like the magazine and will be ready to renew at the price shown (they don’t usually see the other offers) whereas a new person off the street will be more willing to subscribe to a new magazine at a lower price rather than a higher one.
Most magazines even print two versions of subscription cards int here magz…the one on the news stand is a lower subscription price. the ones sent to subscribers, say to offer them a “special rate” to buy their friends subscription is higher than the newstand rate.

People who love the mag are willing to spend more money (that’s the psychology behind the varying rates)